Sell me on an iPad...

[davidg4781]

I’ve been an Apple fan since 2006. Not because they’re Apple but because of how well they make everything work together and overall quality of their products. I’ve never had an iPad, used one a couple of times.

AT&T is having a deal, sign up for 2 year data on a 5th gen iPad, 32 GB, for $99 and $20/ month for service.

Are they really awesome and all that? I can maybe see myself reading some iBooks on them. Or should I save my money.

 

[sparksd]

If you need to be sold on it, you probably don't really need one or want one that badly. You're better off going to an Apple store and trying different models out and seeing if they do anything you want or need.

 

[sracer]

I’ve been an Apple fan since 2006. Not because they’re Apple but because of how well they make everything work together and overall quality of their products. I’ve never had an iPad, used one a couple of times.

AT&T is having a deal, sign up for 2 year data on a 5th gen iPad, 32 GB, for $99 and $20/ month for service.

Are they really awesome and all that? I can maybe see myself reading some iBooks on them. Or should I save my money.

What's my commission if I make the sale?

 

[davidg4781]

You’re probably right. I just feel like I may be missing out on something big. But I’ve watched enough key notes.

 

[ctrlzone]

i use my iPad every day since 6 years, connect the charger multiple times a day.
everything still works, awesome Product, i highly recommend getting one.

 

[lockerc18]

First, you have to be sold on the need for a tablet. If you can't define that for yourself, then you don't need an iPad.

Next, you need to understand the value of the Apple Ecosystem. There is more to an Apple device than just the hardware / software stack. The way Apple devices work together through iCloud is terrific. (I have a new 2017 MacBook Pro and an iPhone 6+, and they all work together great. Or, bigly, I guess.)

Last, I just got my second 10.5 inch 64GB iPad. (I returned my first until a good sale came along, which it just did.) If you are convinced that you want a tablet, there is no other one than this one. You might go to 256Gb, but for me, 64 was the right size. But the technology in this is worlds better than any other tablet. The display, especially, is years ahead of anything else. The speed is phenomenal. It is truly in a class by itself. If, which is a big "if", you can put up with the price.

Of course, I was coming from an iPad3, so anything new was a revelation. The regular 9.7 iPads are really nice. The Pros are, too. I mean, these are really nice devices. But I'm smitten with the 10.5 inch form factor. It is, for me, the best of all.

But, if I have to push any of these things to you, then you don't really want a tablet to begin with, much less an iPad. They present a much different use case than a Mac does. Touch devices are more about consumption than production. If you want to do personal productivity or development work, the iPad isn't the right device for you. Many will disagree, saying that a keyboard will mitigate that. Good for them. For me, and I suspect that most iPad users agree, that's not the reality. Tablets have their place, and the iPad is a tablet. They don't replace a laptop or a desktop. But they are the best in the tablet space. And the 9.7 inch is a great device, overall.

 

[sparksd]

Until you know what you want to do with it, you're not going to know what to get - model, storage capacity, maybe a keyboard, etc.

 

[lockerc18]

Until you know what you want to do with it, you're not going to know what to get - model, storage capacity, maybe a keyboard, etc.

True. So, what do you want to do with it?

 

[davidg4781]

Sit and look at Facebook. Read a book. Play Star Wars Commander.

All things I can do on iPhone. Except reading the book. And I’m not sure why. I read other content.

 

[lockerc18]

Sit and look at Facebook. Read a book. Play Star Wars Commander.

All things I can do on iPhone. Except reading the book. And I’m not sure why. I read other content.

Oh, reading a book on an iPad is a terrific experience. Kindle, Nook, iBook apps are great. I don’t do Facebook or any other social media, or games, either. But I can understand why people love to on an iPad.

I don’t see doing word processing or spreadsheets or presentations on a tablet. Or photo editing. People do these things on tablets, but they don’t lend themseleves well to apps that require a lot of alphanumeric input. I can watch videos or movies on an iPhone, but the addtional screen space on a tablet is much better.

To each their own. You can do anything on a tablet that you can do on an iPhone, except phone calls. Of course, it’s kind of hard tocarry an iPad around in your pocket.

 

[davidg4781]

I was joking about Facebook. I’m not on it much. And I’m with you on doing word processing and stuff on a tablet. It’s a cinch on a Mac. I only do last minute edits on iPhone. If I need to.

I’ll try reading a book here. If I can deal with that I can maybe get by on an iPad. I think it might end up something I casually use, but come in handy when I really need it.

 

[one1]

I haven’t decided completely on kicking my MacBook Pro to the curb, but apple swears you can replace your laptop with an iPad Pro. Using dongles they are willing to sell you for $30 each, you can have usb, card reader, hdmi, and everything else. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and you’re in business. The a9x, a10x in iPad pros are within 3% and 7% (respectively) of being faster than the new MacBook pros i5 and i7. Once you get the feel of moving everything at your fingertips, there is no going back.

If you get the 12.9 iPad Pro you’re at the 13” Macbook level in size, but much faster and better screen.

 

[davidg4781]

I don't think I'd go for the Pro, especially not now.

Now that you mention it though, I have my mini in my bedroom and I'm only in there really before bed or when I wake up (if I'm off or work late). The rest of the time I'm around the house and maybe the iPad could come in handy then. Or a MacBook Pro.

Thursday I'm going to Austin to get a friend's iPhone repaired (hopefully!). I'll miss that deal, unless I happen to be near an AT&T store.

 

[akash.nu]

If reading is your priority then kindle paper white is what you need.

 

[sparksd]

If reading is your priority then kindle paper white is what you need.

I have the PaperWhite and prefer using my Air 2 or 8" Galaxy Tab S2 over it (unless in direct sunlight).

 

[akash.nu]

I have the PaperWhite and prefer using my Air 2 or 8" Galaxy Tab S2 over it (unless in direct sunlight).

Really? The backlight hurts my eyes when I’m in one of those extended reading mode.

 

[maflynn]

I have the PaperWhite and prefer using my Air 2 or 8" Galaxy Tab S2 over it (unless in direct sunlight).

I much prefer my paperwhite, its just a better reading experience imo.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I’ve been an Apple fan since 2006. Not because they’re Apple but because of how well they make everything work together and overall quality of their products. I’ve never had an iPad, used one a couple of times.

AT&T is having a deal, sign up for 2 year data on a 5th gen iPad, 32 GB, for $99 and $20/ month for service.

Are they really awesome and all that? I can maybe see myself reading some iBooks on them. Or should I save my money.

Can't imagine being without an iPad. Not so sure about the ATT plan. Hate to get engaged in contracts. If you want mostly for ready, there are better devices and cheaper too.

 

[sparksd]

I much prefer my paperwhite, its just a better reading experience imo.

Yeah, I literally don't remember the last time I used the PaperWhite. The backlight does not bother my eyes at all and I don't like the small screen size, either. The 8" S2 is what I usually reach for and I use it a lot for ebook reading, usually going through a book or more per week. Just a personal preference, I realize.

 

[zipur]

Oh, reading a book on an iPad is a terrific experience. Kindle, Nook, iBook apps are great. I don’t do Facebook or any other social media, or games, either. But I can understand why people love to on an iPad..

I would not say the Kindle app is good on an iPad. its finicky in (IMO) Apple causes this to force you into Ibooks. For me sometimes you accidentally jump pages and pages away from where you are reading by accident.

YMMV but that being said I still used it to read. IPAD is the gold standard. If you have and iPhone and Mac they all fit together. Can't read it on your phone, get the iPad. If the iPad can't do it jump on the MAC. I love how they all work so well together. But for thinks like Maps where the IPHONE may be just a little small. iPad is great same with just about all reading.

 

[akash.nu]

I would not say the Kindle app is good on an iPad. its finicky in (IMO) Apple causes this to force you into Ibooks. For me sometimes you accidentally jump pages and pages away from where you are reading by accident.

YMMV but that being said I still used it to read. IPAD is the gold standard. If you have and iPhone and Mac they all fit together. Can't read it on your phone, get the iPad. If the iPad can't do it jump on the MAC. I love how they all work so well together. But for thinks like Maps where the IPHONE may be just a little small. iPad is great same with just about all reading.

I don’t like when people just bash Apple without any grounds. How do you think Apple “forces” an individual developer to make their app subpar while releasing on the platform?

It’s completely down to amazon to develop their app and make it work the way they want while adhering to the general AppStore guidelines.

There’s no iBook related conspiracy going on there.

 

[Starfia]

I've loved and had iPads since the first iPad – they're awesome if you like them. I know this is more than you're thinking about, but the iPad Pro and Pencil feel like a turning point along the technology timeline; it might be the hardest point to imagine going back from.

(I've tried Kindles and prefer iPads for reading – white text on black.)

 

[Ntombi]

If reading is your priority then kindle paper white is what you need.

I have an iPad Mini 2 and a Kindle paperwhite. I am a huge reader.

I never ever read books on my iPad. Reading on the paperwhite is as close to reading a physical book as possible, IMO. No eye strain, extremely long battery life. I find real reading (as opposed to net reading) uncomfortable with a backlight.

I use my iPad to watch videos, cook, and a bunch of other stuff that I could do on my iPhone, but I find better with a bigger screen.

 

[pika2000]

sign up for 2 year data on a 5th gen iPad, 32 GB, for $99 and $20/ month for service.

Don't. Having an iPad on a contract is stupid. It's better if you just buy the cellular iPad on your own and then buy some prepaid data when you actually need it.

 

[lockerc18]

I have an iPad Mini 2 and a Kindle paperwhite. I am a huge reader.

I never ever read books on my iPad. Reading on the paperwhite is as close to reading a physical book as possible, IMO. No eye strain, extremely long battery life. I find real reading (as opposed to net reading) uncomfortable with a backlight.

I use my iPad to watch videos, cook, and a bunch of other stuff that I could do on my iPhone, but I find better with a bigger screen.

Maybe it's just my level of expectation about what a handheld electronic reader should do. Books, sure, but also web browsing and email and all the other things a general tablet can do. I look at reading a book as just another tablet app. Why have yet another device I have to lug around with me, just to read books?

Also, I found a bug in the PaperWhite. I'm an author, and I test my Kindle books out before they're published. It turns out there was a formatting error on a PaperWhite for one book. It was driving me nuts trying to figure out what was wrong, and I couldn't. So I got a Kindle Fire HD to see how it worked there. It worked fine, no formatting problems. I did some digging about this (and thanks to the Scrivener folks for helping that) and found out that the devices have different code bases. The PW is the original e-ink base, going back to the first Kindle. The Fire is Android. There is evidently some difference in the way things are rendered on the devices for this one particular format. I changed things so that the format problem was avoided on the PW, but the net is that I just don't care for e-ink. It has some quirks, like flashing when pages are turned. And I much prefer a full color experience on a device with general tablet features. I know many people with PWs and they love them, so maybe this is just me. But overall, the only physical books I've read in years have been gifts. I read everything else on my iPad. Or, my Mac, but generally on the iPad for books.